The Best Humidifiers To Soothe Your Dry Skin And Sinuses

​Mist from these machines combats irritating dry air.

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Dry air is fine for hiking in the desert. Not so much for lounging in your living room.

“When humidity levels are low, people tend to experience dry eyes, cracked lips, and irritated sinuses,” says Stephen Canfield, MD, PhD, an allergist at ColumbiaDoctors Midtown in New York City. Plus, if you’re not feeling great, low humidity can make your cold symptoms feel even worse.

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Humidifiers can take the desert dryness out of your your home by adding moisture to the air, which alleviates irritation and discomfort. Once the air hits about 40% percent humidity, says Canfield, most people start to feel better.

Just make sure to use distilled water in your chosen machine—tap water contains minerals that can breed bacteria and irritate your sinuses (read more about that here.) And regularly change the filter or clean the device. Otherwise, mold could grow inside the humidifier and get blown through your home, making life pretty awful for those with mold allergies—or anyone, really.

Keeping this cool-mist humidifier clean is a breeze: It can easily be cleaned by hand or in the dishwasher, and you can crank on the UV light to kill any microbes that may be lurking in the water. The machine runs for up to 24 hours on low.

You have better things to do than constantly tend to your humidifier, which is why we love this option from Vicks. With a 1.2-gallon tank, it produces cool mist for up to 30 hours. Plus, it contains a slot for Vicks scent pads, diffusing a soothing menthol scent for when you’re under the weather. (Here are seven signs your cold is way more serious than you think.)

The LED display reveals the current humidity while the built-in timer allows you to adjust the mist flow and humidity levels throughout the day. The device holds more than a gallon of water, which can last up to 15 hours.

This multitasker of a humidifier can alternate between warm and cool mists, hold 6 liters of water, double as an aromatherapy diffuser, and operate via remote control. Its 2-year warranty and lifetime support guarantee make it worth the price tag.

Capable of storing more than a gallon of water, this machine releases warm or cool mist depending on your preference. Plus, its LED icons relay information about the humidity and alert you when water levels are running low.

This Vicks model boils the water into a steam vapor, doesn’t require a filter, and has an automatic shutoff function. (Have trouble falling asleep? Fans of this lotion swear it helps soothe their insomnia.)

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